{"id":4519,"date":"2016-03-29T14:58:56","date_gmt":"2016-03-29T18:58:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/?p=4519"},"modified":"2016-03-29T14:58:56","modified_gmt":"2016-03-29T18:58:56","slug":"st-peter-newsletter-march-29-2015-third-sunday-of-lent-veneration-of-the-holy-cross","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/st-peter-newsletter-march-29-2015-third-sunday-of-lent-veneration-of-the-holy-cross\/","title":{"rendered":"St. Peter Newsletter March 29, 2015 — Third Sunday of Lent \/ Veneration of the Holy Cross"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Veneration<\/p>\n

Elevation of the Precious and Life Giving Cross<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Each of the Sundays of Great Lent has its own special theme. This Sunday’s theme is that in the cross of Christ crucified lies both “the power of God and the wisdom of God” for those being saved (1 Cor 1:24). On this Sunday in the middle of the Lenten season, the cross stands in the middle of the church, not merely to remind the faithful of Christ’s redemption and for them to keep the goal of their Lenten efforts, but also as a reminder: “He who does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me” (Mt 10:38).<\/p>\n

Historical theme<\/strong><\/p>\n

The historical theme, as seen in the hymnology, is the victory and joy of the cross, not the suffering. The Church fathers equate the life-giving cross with the tree of life and plant it in the middle of the Lenten pilgrimage. It was the tree that was planted in Paradise; it is to remind the faithful of both Adam’s bliss and how he was deprived from it.<\/p>\n

Personal theme<\/strong><\/p>\n

For the catechumens of the early church, and the faithful preparing for Pascha today, the spiritual theme starts to change from personal faith, and personal effort, to Christ. The Church teaches that it is Christ’s cross that saves. One cannot take up his own cross and follow Christ unless one has Christ’s cross which he took up to save mankind. Partaking of this tree, one will no longer die, but will be kept alive.<\/p>\n

This is done to refresh, reassure and to encourage those participating in Great Lent. The Church equates the appearance of the cross at this time to the banners and symbols that precede the return of a victorious king. The Epistle reading is from Hebrews 4:14-5:6 and explains Christ’s priesthood, and the Gospel lesson from Mark 8:34-9:1 ends with And He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power.”<\/p>\n

From Orthodoxwiki website<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Fr. Thomas Hopko on “Taking Up Your Cross”<\/h2>\n
\"Fr.<\/div>\n

On the third Sunday of Great Lent, we concentrate on the Cross of Christ, and Fr. Tom helps us understand what it means to take up our cross.<\/p>\n

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Listen here:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\"Click<\/a><\/div>\n
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Letter Parents: Bring Your Children to Lazarus Saturday<\/h2>\n
\"The<\/p>\n

Elevation of the Precious and Life Giving Cross<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Parents, take note of the letter on the website<\/a> (which will be mailed to all parents) outlining a morning of events for your child start off Holy Week. We will begin with the Liturgy (where Fr. Hans will explain the importance of the day to the children), a pancake breakfast, making palm crosses to be distributed the next day at Palm Sunday and confession for the kids.<\/p>\n

Get more information on the website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Also consider bringing your children to the Taking Christ Down from the Cross service on Holy Friday afternoon. This is a short and highly visual service and children love it. Start setting the traditions early and it will stay with them their entire lives.<\/p>\n

Letter to Invite Friends to Church<\/h2>\n

Would you like to invite a friend to church but don’t know what to say? Try out the “Invitation to Worship” letter on the website. You can print and send the letter as is or take the language and make your own.<\/p>\n

We hope you find it helpful.<\/p>\n

See and print the letter on the St. Peter website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Lenten Service Schedule<\/h2>\n
\"Extreme<\/div>\n

Sunday, April 3 Sunday of the Veneration of the Cross
\nHours 9:00am, Divine Liturgy 9:30am<\/p>\n

Monday, April 4
\nGreat Compline 6:30pm<\/p>\n

Wednesday, April 6
\nPresanctified Liturgy 6:30pm<\/p>\n

Friday, April 8
\nFourth Stanza Salutations 6:30pm<\/p>\n

The St. Peter Lenten Service Schedule is available on the website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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How does Good Friday to Pascha Sunday Equal Three Days?<\/h2>\n

From Jim Kolettis.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"The<\/div>\n

I had a friend say to me, “I could never count the days from Friday to Sunday coming out as three.”<\/p>\n

The solution is simple when we learn that according to Jewish custom any part of a day, however small, is included as part of a full day. “Since the Jews reckoned part of a day as a full day, the ‘three days and three nights’ could permit a Friday crucifixion.”<\/p>\n

This phenomena is exemplified in scripture in the book of Esther. “Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens also will fast in the same way,” (Esther 4:16). Then, in Esther 5:1 it says, “Now it came about on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace in front of the king’s rooms, and the king was sitting on his royal throne in the throne room, opposite the entrance to the palace.”<\/p>\n

We can see that even though the three days and nights had not been completed, Esther went in to see the King on the third day even though she said to fast for three days and nights. We see that “on the third day” is equivalent to “after three days.”<\/p>\n

Additionally, Mark 8:31 says, “And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.” Yet, 1 Cor. 15:4 says, “and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” Also, Luke 24:5-7, “and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, ‘Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.'”<\/p>\n

Here we can see that “after three days” is equivalent to mean “on the third day.”<\/p>\n

Therefore, we can see that because of the Jewish usage of counting any part of a day as the whole of the day, the term, “three days and nights,” is idiomatic and not literal.<\/p>\n

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Thank you to Those Hosting Coffee Hour<\/h2>\n
\"Sign<\/div>\n

April is filled after the appeal on Sunday. Keep in mind that sponsoring coffee hour is a great way to honor someone — memorial, birthday, graduation and others. We will announce it too.<\/p>\n

You can sign up in the Social Hall on Sundays.<\/p>\n

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Lenten Suppers Following Wednesday Presanctified Liturgies<\/h2>\n
\"Man<\/div>\n

On Wednesday evenings following Presanctified Liturgy we will share in a light Lenten supper of lentil soup, bread and fruit. This is a practice of many churches and provides rich fellowship and sharing. Sponsors this week are John and Corgette Troutman. <\/p>\n

Additions to Calendar<\/h2>\n